16459
Another way to measure a day. I have been counting my steps for the last few days, pushing mysrlf to go farther and acheive more. Yesterday I walked all of Pflugerville for several hours. I was relaxing and lovely. It's funny I did not think I could get so serious about a diet and exercise program, but I have no desire to cheat or quit--I am trying to become something else. I just didn't realize how serious I was taking the whole process.
I feel energized and good, even after full days at work.
They should perscribe pedometerss instread of anti-depressants.

I have no amusing antedotes, so I'm off to the gym.

Blistering in the Sun
I have no bootie. I have officially danced it off seeing the Spazmatics. They are this crazy New Wave band that dresses up as 80s Geeks, complete with helmets, neck braces, suspenders ect. It was cheesy yet hysterical. Anyway, they are playing every Wednesday at Elysium. The Elysium scene is pretty interesting. There was a strange mix of people. Most nights it is a Goth/Industrial club, but they have many Retro nights as well. It was a cool crowd, very different from the beautiful people who hang out on Sixth Street. I did see this one guy, though, who was Gother than frickin' thou. He was wearing sunglasses in the club, a long black trench coat, but the real kicker was this horribly affected cane he was carrying and which he obviously did not need. He kept staring at people's necks! He reminded me of some people I used to kinda know.
My other new obsession in my pedometer. I am trying to get in 10000 steps a day. Last night I ended up attaching it to my pjs and running in circles around the house to get in my steps. Today we went on a long walk and I am already at 11,683. Eric is already tiring of my endless walking. But these boots are made for walking. . .

Death and . . .
We got our tax refund today. It's funny, it's actually my money, but I feel so gratful like the Gederal government has given me a giant present.
In a related note, I also just paid for our cruise! I squeaked with excitement!

Tonight we might hit Elysium for extravagant 80s fun. Or we could be poops and hang at home watching pay-per-view movies. I hate getting older and feeling like I shouldn't go to downtown because of the drive, the smoke, the late hours. Feh.

Atomic
Today I felt like stomping on a priest's foot. These are the sort of thoughts one typically goes to confession for if it weren't the priest who made me so angry in the first place. I am being quickly disavowed of the idea that they are better people than the rest of us.
He has been at least 5 minutes late for every service we have had at school, and those of us who lose class time finally complained and had this big complaint effort. Today because the school cannot afford proper clocks or bells, we left our building at 7:55 and walked accross the street. I guess he had 8:01 becuase he had started without us just to be smarmy and to prove some sort of dumb point. Anyway, I was fuming.
This weekend I am going out to get some atomic clocks to make sure he has no more ammunition.
Grrrrrrrrrr.
We also had a homeless man walk in and want to enroll in school. He was about 50 years old. When the secretatry questioned him, he said that he wanted to enroll his son. When asked about the son, he didn't really know a name, an age, or birthday. We told him that classes were full, and he meandered away.

People who are late stink.

Iamb
Teaching poetry has its drawbacks. I cannot get the iambic rhythm out of my weak little mind. Today I gave every student a differnt percussion instrument and we "played" some of Shakespeare's sonnets. Disturbingly as a result, they now call themselves the "Shakespeare Bangers." I am not sure if they understand the connotations.

I ran 4 miles yesterday. Hear me roar.

Day Two
E. more than acquitted himself last night. When I finally got home, he was waiting with flowers, a card, and two cds that I have been talking to him about for months. The last few minutes of Feb. 14th were happy after all. Still, all in all, I do not think I will even mention the day next year because I think it's a ridiculous holiday.
I have become increasingly less tolerant of nonsense lately. I used to love all of the award shows, but this year I find it all garbage. Look at how much money and time Hollywood spends to glorify itself. It's a meeting of self-congratulatory egomaniacs who really do not do much to better humanity. One could argue, I suppose, that movies provide pleasure to otherwise bland lives, whcih is true to some extent, but I happen to find the job I do--teaching English to poor kids for $20,000--more important and significantly less celebrated. There are so many more people that deserve our praise and attention more than Brad and Jen or whatever other token couple of the month is hot now. I also don't understand how people seem to care about these celebrities personally. I don't know them, and they have no concept of the life I lead. Why should I have an opinion on thier lives? Should they have an opinion about mine?

I should cut out this misanthropic ranting and go read my Entertainment Weekly. Irony is a bitter mistress.

A Very "Mature" Valentine's Day
This morning I was standing in front of the mirror with my baby, and I said, "I look way older than I really am," and the alledged love of my life replied, "You look very mature, in a nice way!"
Is there a nice way to say such a thing? I look very "mature." Nothing says day of romance like that.
Other than that, I have to go to a meeting at church tonight so we are not spending the night together, which is perhaps not the worst thing after all.

We did have a lovely time in Salado with my parents which, in a way, makes up for the rather crummy Feb. 14th. I wish there weren't all of these expectations of romance and happiness on a Monday.

Frickity Frack
Days are long and grow longer. I am pretty sure that we are supposed to be getting more daylight, but I have yet to see it.
I had to stay for some meeting that did not require my presence, so S. and I went for Margaritas before hand. It deserved that much of my attention.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday which usually puts me into a reflective mood, but I seem lately to be a litlte too worn out to reflect properly. Maybe I will try to give up letting stress and worry get to me. It has the added bonus of not prohibiting chocolate.

Clemmony Snicket is looking plaintively at me, begging me to lie down so he can claim her rightful place on my stomach. Or perhaps it's me eying her because I need a hug.

Too Much Usher
I was at school yesterday from 7:10 a.m. to 10:45 p.m., and I discovered that I no longer know how to do the hokey pokey. It was a sad day.
I was the chaperone/sponsor for the Mardi Gras dance, and it went off pretty well. I did learn something, however. One should not do the twist on a recently sprained ankle. Good to know in retrospect I suppose. I am in pain this morning. Still, I had much more fun at this junior high dance than I ever did at my own. There is something to this getting older and losing all that insecurity thing. I was looking at those kids and their attempts to get together and those who were left out, and I was so gratful to have my husband and friends and family.
I have a meeting this morning, so there is no rest for the wicked I suppose.

To All Those Concerned
I managed to find my car this morning, so I was at work on time. I will be hearing about the State Troopers for a long time, it seems.

I left early because I got sick of being at work. Besides, I have a kitten to come home to.

Tomorrow will be interesting. I got roped into dressing in a Curious George costume for the book fair. I think I will make a great monkey.

The State of the Union is tonight. I think I will throw things at the t.v. and sigh heavily. It's about all I can do after voting for Kerry.

Thank You Ossifer
Today the entire Middle School saw me in the back of a State Trooper's car. It was a great day.

WE went to the capitol for this Catholic Charities event, which, in itself, was really quite boring. I can see why the State reps get nothing done. They start 30 minutes late, the respresentatives ignore calls to order and talk through proceedings. Then they spent over an hour acknowledging every visitor to the chamber. Is it any wonder we have no school finance bill? But I digress.

While the rest of the school took the bus downtown, I drove my own car since I had a doctor's appointment in Austin late that day. They all headed to the bus, and I went to the parking garage to find my car. My car disappeared. I searched the entire garage multiple times. THe attendant took pity on me and invited me inot his little cubilcle to warm up and search the garage via the security camera. Finally, he called the State Troopers to take me around in their car to find my vehicle. By this point, the teachers had called me and heard about my dilema and told the entire student body.
I did find the car.

When I met up with everyone else at McDonalds, the first word out of my coworker's Jim's mouth was "Idiot!" Indeed.

When I left McDonald's I noticed that my lights had been on. "Idiot"